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Category: Fr. Jom Baring, CSsR

  • THERE IS NO MINIMALISM IN LOVING

    THERE IS NO MINIMALISM IN LOVING

    March 12, 2022 – Saturday First Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031222.cfm)

    If you love those who love you, what is special about that? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? These questions are not from me, but from Jesus for all of us.

    Loving those who love us or being friendly with those who are only our friends means that we are only doing what is minimum and easy which requires less effort from us.

    Have you met persons who live their life to what is only minimum? There are people who tend to work to what is only expected from them. They won’t be late yet they will never come early. They will be the first person to “time out” and the first person out of the door. They won’t dare going an extra mile yet, we cannot accuse them of not doing their job.

    There are also some of us who fulfill their Sunday obligation or other religious obligations but stop there. Yet, they would also stop from extending themselves to do some volunteer works or from joining solidarity causes of the Church.

    There might be some of us also who would tend to relate with others in a casual and in a minimum encounter with others. This minimum encounter does not require us of building deeper relationship but only superficial. It does not require more energy, effort, extra time and presence of extending oneself for the other. It only stays to what is safe, not risky and self-beneficial.

    Hence, doing what is only minimum can become an attitude of complacency and would developed into indifference. This was what Jesus criticized about. And this is also the very attitude that Jesus wants us to get out and go beyond. When complacency becomes our way of life, we become stagnant and won’t grow. When indifference is our attitude, we become detached and isolated from God and from others.

    Remember, when we truly love somebody, this love does not settle with the minimum, but always at the maximum. In many of us, this kind of loving beyond the minimum is being experienced at home where parents sacrifice and go an extra mile to provide better opportunities for their children. This is also experienced among couples who take the risk of loving each other despite their differences. This is also showed by people who work tirelessly to serve the public such as teachers, nurses, doctors, etc.

    Hence, Jesus calls us now is to go beyond what is minimum. and let it flow into our relationships too and in the expression of our faith. This is done by loving our enemies and by making them our friends, at least in our own perspective. Do not just settle down to what is only self-beneficial but to extend ourselves to others by becoming more generous of ourselves and presence to those who need company, friendship and assurance of love and affection.

    Though there is beauty in minimalism and goodness in it but not in loving. Do not be a minimalist in loving because it won’t be love anymore. Love as much as we can as God has done it for us. Express such love in concrete ways and let our relationships be founded on it, our profession and work be its inspiration, and our faith be its power. Hinuat pa.

  • TO DO MORE AND BE MORE

    TO DO MORE AND BE MORE

    March 11, 2022 – Friday of the First Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031122.cfm)

     Is it enough to only do what is comfortable for me? Is it enough to show to others that I am charitable? Is it enough to do what is required of being good and being pious? Is it enough that I stay neutral on moral issues? Is it enough to stay unconcerned and indifferent as long as I do not hurt others or do bad things to people? Is it really enough to always be and do what is only minimum?

    It won’t be enough at all. It is neither enough to do what is only comfortable for us, nor to do what is only required for us, nor to stay neutral on moral issues, nor to stay unconcerned and indifferent as long as we do not hurt and do bad things to people. Yes, it is not enough to be and to do what is only minimum.

    The Lord calls all of us today, “unless you surpass the righteousness of the Lawyers and the Pharisees, then, you will not enter the kingdom of Heaven.”

    Without condemning these people, who were the Jewish Lawyers and Pharisees, Jesus wants us to realize something beyond the usual actions of these people and to become righteous, good and religious beyond what is minimum, beyond what is required by law.

    Indeed, the Jewish lawyers and the Pharisees were more inclined in focusing on the letters of the law. This means that these people were more concerned of following trivial things in the Jewish Law. However, this kind of attitude prevented them to be compassionate to others and to be more expressive of mercy to the sinners, the sick and the poor.

    Jesus gave a practical challenge to his disciples, an action that expresses mercy and compassion. Jesus calls for “Reconciliation” and “Reparation” of the damage that we have caused to others. To be reconciled with the person whom we have hurt and those who have hurt us, expresses the essence of this Season of Lent.

    Lent invites us to look closely at our failures and sins and to recognize them. Yet, we do not stop at the recognition of sin. We do not stop in saying “I am sorry.” However, we step forward by making peace, by reconciling ourselves with others, by doing the right thing, by paying and repairing the damage we have don and doing what God desires us to do.

    God calls us to go beyond from what is only easy and comfortable for us. let us remember, that it is a temptation to settle to what is only minimal and become complacent and indifferent towards others. True enough, it is very easy  for us to continue what we are doing. We could just go to the Church and attend mass, pray our rosary and novena, and go for a regular confession and give our alms to the poor. However, our heart could still remain unmoved by the many social issues that surround us or remain indifferent to the needs of people around us and still does the same sins over and over again.

    Today, Jesus invites us to be more expressive of our faith that does count and does not settle to what is only comfortable, easy and minimum. May our faith, our devotion and our love for God and for others give us the courage to do more and be more. Hinaut pa.

  • MORE AVAILABLE FOR GOD AND FOR OTHERS

    MORE AVAILABLE FOR GOD AND FOR OTHERS

    March 10, 2022 – Thursday of the First Week of Lent

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031022.cfm)

    What are we supposed to ask actually? What is it that we should really seek? Wealth? Long life? Success and achievements in our careers? Happy family life? Peaceful life?

    Jesus told us to ask and to seek. Yet, the invitation of Jesus is grounded on a deep faith and trust in the goodness of the Lord. The Lord does not say that whatever we ask and desire will be given to us immediately and absolutely. Rather, Jesus wants us to realize how important it is to pray and to be able to communicate with God, with all honesty and humility. A prayer that springs forth from intimacy and friendship.

    Prayer, therefore, is not just about asking, seeking and desiring what we want for ourselves alone. This will only make us self-centered. Prayer is allowing ourselves to be more aware of God’s presence in our life, and more aware of the people around us. Prayer, then, builds up our faith and trust in God, but also, it brings us to be deeply in loved.

    The story of Queen Esther in our first reading tells us about this. The Queen, in all humility, pleaded to the Lord God to rescue her people from death. She did not ask the Lord God to just secure her status, her title and wealth as Queen. She, however, became an intercessor on behalf of God’s people, the Israelites.

    Queen Esther asked the Lord for courage and strength that she may be able to become a mediator between the people and her husband the King. She knew that this would be too risky as she might also lose everything she had as Queen. Yet, what she asked and sought from the Lord made her deeply in love with God’s people. Indeed, her prayer was answered because God found delight in her heart that was filled with humility and love.

    This is Jesus’ invitation for us today as well, that our prayer becomes an opportunity for us to grow more in our love and concern for others. As we continue to journey in this Season of Lent may we also develop our friendship with God and with people around us, making our hearts more available for God and for others. Hinaut pa.

  • New Normal

    New Normal

    January 2, 2022 – Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

    Click here for the readings (https://catholicreadings.org/the-epiphany-of-the-lord/)

    A man once asked a wise priest: “Father, how come unlike before God seems to be not talking or speaking to us anymore?” The priest replied: “It is not that God is not anymore talking or speaking to us. But rather it is that nowadays nobody is humble enough to stoop down to listen to Him. Nobody… nowadays… are humble enough… to stoop down … to listen to Him. Bihira nalang ang mga tao ngayong panahon na lumalapit sa Kanya na may pagpakumbaba upang marinig Siya at makinig sa Kanya.

    True enough that there are times in our lives that God seems to be silent and absent to us. But during those moments of our frustrations and hopelessness with God, perhaps it is better to consider not His seeming absence or silence, but rather perhaps that we have reach already too far and high in life that we don’t anymore get near and low to listen to Him. Siguro napakataas at napalayo na ng ating narating na hindi na tayo lumalapit at may pakumbabang marinig Siya at makinig sa Kanya.

    For the past Sundays, during Advent and these Christmas Seasons, we came to know several people who became involved in the birth story of Jesus and happened to encounter God and begun to know God’s will for them in life. Mary met God through angel Gabriel and became the mother of Jesus. Through a dream, Joseph became responsible poster-father of Jesus. Zacharias became the father of John, after meeting an angel in his old age. Elizabeth became pregnant with John in her old age after her husband’s encounter with the angel. Shepherds saw and learned from an angel that God’s gift to all has been borne in Bethlehem and they became witnesses (godfathers’ or ninong) of baby Jesus. And now in our gospel, the three kings come to know where baby Jesus, God-promised they have been searching, is through a bright-guiding star.

    All these people and their experiences are telling us that God had made Himself and His will know to them, and God will always continue to make manifest Himself and His will to us until now. Same way as before, we might experience once again God and His will for us now, if and when we honor our dreams, listen and witness God’s word and actions in us shown to us by his angels or messengers. God still continues to manifest or reveal Himself to us in many ways through the faith and actions of our community and church as we share each other God’s word, good advice, kind and loving service with others, and responsible guidance and parenthood of our elders and leaders. Even in a special way for us Filipino Catholic, we sense God through our kalooban and pangdama. Kilala ko siya dahil dama ko siya. Malapit ang loob ko sa kanyang salita at galaw.

    Today, in the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, marks the end of Christmas Season. Today is to remind us that more than about the three Kings, God is still making Himself and His will know to us. He is still reaching out and communicating to us many many ways. He is still talking and speaking to us, like before. All we need to do is to be humble enough to stoop down to listen and be sensitive to Him and His ways of revealing Himself to us.

    Moreover, Epiphany also reminds us that once we become humble enough to sense, hear, and honor God and His will to us now, we must change our ways.

    In our gospel today, we are reminded us of what happened when the three kings found the child Jesus lying in the manger in Bethlehem. Guided by the star, in great joy, they saw the child Jesus and they did him homage. Their encounter of Jesus and the Holy Family in Bethlehem brought the three kings great joy for they have finally found what they are looking for. With this, they offered their gifts in homage and thanksgiving to God’s greatest gift to all.

    But let us not forget that after they have witnessed the Son of God, they returned by another different way. This is not because they were afraid of Herod, but their encounter with Jesus has also changed their lives. Because of their experience with the baby Jesus, their lives were never the same again. They did not follow the usual path, but they now tread a different way, perspective, and attitude to life. Like our experience with a newly born baby, after they have recognized God in the child Jesus, the lives of the three kings were never the same again. The child Jesus brought them great joy as well as great changes in their way of life. 

    In the same way, the moment we recognize and accept the Lord, life will never be the same again. This would mean that once we listen and honor God’s will for us, life will never be the same again, for it has to change for the better. As God comes into our lives, New Normal life should be.

    As we say goodbye to Christmas season & start a New Year of pandemic realities may we be more sensitive to God’s continuing manifestations to us (His ways of making Himself and His will know to us) and be more open to be change and be responsible for the gift of life God is offering us always. Amen.

  • LIFE-lived In & With CHRIST

    LIFE-lived In & With CHRIST

    November 14, 2021 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111421.cfm)

    Corrie Ten Boom, a Nazi concentration camp Christian survivor, now a well-known inspirational writer, once said: “If you look at the world, you will be distressed. If you look within yourself, you will be depressed. If you look at God, you will be at rest.” These words of wisdom are learned from her life-experience of the cruelty of war and racism, not only before her captivity in Amsterdam while her family were helping in hiding escaping Jews, and during her captivity in the concentration camp of Germany, and after her release and liberation, but also based from her experience of life struggles and faith journey in general, as Christian.

    If and whenever we reflect on these words, we somehow can relate with her on how we also experience our life-struggles and faith-journey as Christian in general. Though we may not share the same experience of life with her, but her words offer us a realistic but still hopeful view of our Christian life: “If you look at the world, you will be distressed. If you look within yourself, you will be depressed. If you look at God, you will be at rest.”

    True indeed, distressing it is to look at world today. With a lot of things going on – war, racism, discrimination, alienation, poverty, moral decadence, corruption, crisis, natural and human disaster, migration, pandemic and other, we cannot help but be distressed, upset, worried and be bothered with life nowadays and in near future. And while looking at our world today with distress, we cannot also help but be depressed, helpless, and hopeless within ourselves as we try to adjust, adopt, and respond to our troubling world. Addiction, crimes, sex, violence, drugs, suicide, abortions, marital breakdowns are just mere manifestations of how depressed we are and we can be within ourselves, due to the reality of our world outside and our life within. These are the common pains we are experiencing life nowadays as it is.

    Worse, Jesus in our gospel today even warns us of these on-going and coming distressing and depressing realities of life in the world to happen. We cannot help but be bothered of Jesus’ cosmic depiction of the end-time, “Sun will be darkened, moon will give not its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” We may not have yet experienced end-time as Jesus described it, but with our experience of our life’s common pains nowadays of increasing fatality & sickness, easy for us to see that at most we are already on our way towards destruction and end-game of life.

    We might have been experiencing life at its worse nowadays, however, Jesus promises us a life, not as how we look and experience it, but Eternal Life with God. Jesus proclaims and promises us: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Lilipas man ang Langit at Lupa, ngunit ang aking mga salita ay hindi lilipas: Mahanaw man and langit ug yuta, apan akong pulong dili gayud mahanaw).

    Here Jesus is teaching us that eternal life is not about life without end, or endless life, or our life/world now not passing away. Eternal life with God is not the extension and expansion of our life as we look and experience it. Surely, we desire not the extension and expansion of our common pains & struggles in life. But what Jesus promises us is eternal life that gives us meaning and purpose as we experience life’s common pains.

    In & with our experience of life’s common pains, Jesus is thus offering us eternal life of common purpose. He is offering us Himself as our Way, Truth and Life that would give us meaning, direction and purpose as we struggle with life and journey in faith amidst our common pains of life. Jesus wants us to live our Life In & With Christ.

    In other words, Jesus offers us Common purpose and meaning amidst common pains of life. Common pains thus take place and will happen in our life here on earth, but rest assured, Jesus, God’s word, and love for us remains for us and with us forever. Ika nga: (Matupok man lahat ang buong daigdig, hindi magmamaliw ang aking pag-ibig.

    So, whenever we find our life distressing and depressing, and as we long for rest and peace in life, just be reminded of and learn from the wisdom-shared to us by Corrie ten Boom: “If you look at the world, you will be distressed. If you look within yourself, you will be depressed. If you look at God, you will be at rest.”

    Siya Nawa. Hinaut pa unta. Amen.